Amicities
by Bitway
Summary: He's supposed to be your ordinary, bright, optimistic teenager, but there's something magical about him. Funny how in a world of magic, he never thought he'd be part of it. {magic au}
1. Prologue

He's too late.

It's the first thing that comes to mind. He's too late, he couldn't stop them in time, he had failed.

A once beautiful building, full of technology, wonders, advancements, magic. An establishment that would have made many proud, and had in the past. It was supposed to be able to handle anything and everything, contain even the strongest of magics while letting it work its spells upon objects, places, people.

And yet, it had all gone up in flames, literally. There was nothing left of this proud building, everything had come crumbling down, fallen into a mess. One would never be able to image what lay here before destruction had run wild.

The man felt frozen in time, only managing to watch the flickering flames sway against the night sky. They managed to illuminate the wreckage, giving light to the fallen machines, the barely standing structures, the lifeless bodies.

It shouldn't have been this way. So much, too much was lost. Research. Lives.

None of this should have happened.

And he had failed to stop it.

Guilt rises in his chest. Thoughts of how he could have stopped the experiment, prevented all of this clouded his mind. He had done all he could, alerted others, tried to speak to that man in charge of it all, but he had been powerless. A single call had kept him away- was it planned? He'd never know.

Somehow, he manages to move his feet after his stare had been transfixed upon this broken sight. It was oddly enchanting; he never thought that he'd find something like this so striking. Destruction had its moment of beauty, something he didn't want to acknowledge and never would.

This all seemed liked a dream- a nightmare. It was the worst possible outcome that had, sadly, come true. He was still coming to terms with this all, finding it so hard to believe that this had happened.

Slow steps are taken, shoes crunch against ground, broken pieces of wood. He does his best to avoid the bodies, any type of living (or once living) thing. His gaze is kept at a certain level to avoid looking at them. He doesn't have the heart to see bodies with no life, hurt, damaged beyond repair (not all, of course, but from a quick glances he could see so much dyed in red; it made him feel sick).

The man keeps walking, part of him hoping to find a living person, a survivor. But in this chaotic mess, in this magical explosion, how could there be one? It would have to be a miracle. And his heart sinks as he recalls what had gone on here, what cruel experiment was being conducted.

How could they have used someone so young, so innocent? A life was whisked away in the blink of an eye. It shouldn't have happened.

He takes in a deep breath, coughs. Smoke had filled his lungs and who knows what else that filled this tainted air. He didn't have long to be here, time wasn't on his side.

Someone would come, eventually. Soon. A huge project that had caused a major explosion would definitely sound some alarms. The smoke rising in the air would be a sign if that booming noise hadn't been one.

He has to find something, anything. But, there's nothing here, nothing left. Papers are scattered, ripped, burning, illegible now. Technology broken, exploded, malfunctioning, useless. People...dead.

He thinks to give up- what else is there to do? No, he can't. He was never one to give up hope and he wouldn't start now.

Then, he hears coughing.

It's not his own. Immediately, eyes widen, looking around the chaos as he begins to focus on this weak sound. A child's cough, it's coming from the center of it all. He runs, the fastest he ever had. Fallen wood and debris are pushed aside to reveal a boy in blue. Small eyes try to force themselves open, face dashed with a bit of soot. A quick check of the boy reveals him...unharmed. No bruises, no cuts, scrapes, no burn marks. But most importantly-

 _he's alive._

A smile begins to form on the man's face. Maybe he wasn't too late after all.

"I'll get you out of here and get you somewhere safe."

The boy tries to respond, but only manages a cough. He's weak, dazed, doesn't know what's going on. His body hurts, it stings. What had happened to him? He doesn't know. He only knows that voice and how he feels safe around it.

The man takes in a careful breath as he utters words of reassurance. He doesn't know, but hopes the boy can hear him. With great care, he scoops the boy up into his arms, holding him tightly against his chest. He feels small hands grip onto his shirt.

He's relieved, filled with hope once more. He wishes he could pass the feeling onto the boy to.

"Everything will be okay. I promise..."


	2. Chapter 1

A boy lies in bed, sleeping peacefully, undisturbed by the world around him. The morning light shining through the windows don't quite reach his bed. The singing birds are a familiar noise, nothing to startle him awake. The only sound that does, is his alarm. Which is ticking down, only moments away from going off. In 3...2...1...

"I'm up!" He shouts as soon as the alarm had come to life, a hand immediately reaching over and silencing the clock by his bed. He waits, making sure the thing actually shut off before sitting up in bed, yawning, rubbing his eyes and looking at the time. Blue eyes then dart over to a calendar, squinting and determining the date by the one square lacking a red X next to another. He removes the covers over him and hopes out of bed, walking over to mark today's date.

"There's still a month left," he hums, as he eyes the circled date on the next page. There was only one word written there- ' _school!_ '. "I can't wait!" He chirped with a little chuckle.

Summer break had been fun, it always was. He enjoyed it, but missed seeing most of his classmates, his friends. There were a few that lived in the same town he did (and he was grateful for that), but most lived a little too far. School was the midpoint of this all, managing to bring them all together so easily.

"Tenma? Are you up yet?" A voice calls from beyond the door.

"Yes!" He answers, quickly. "I'll be down in a second, auntie!"

Tenma darts to his drawers, picking out clothes for the day. He keeps them simple, a red v-neck shirt with a long white long sleeve underneath, blue shorts to go along with it and his usual shoes. With those in hand, he runs off to the bathroom connected to his bedroom. He washes up, gets ready for the day, and when he steps out, he's fully dressed and ready to run to the door. Or he would have, but he had to stop and run back, grab a small messenger bag with a lightning bolt design on it.

"Good morning, auntie!" He greets her, Aki, once he's finally step foot in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Tenma," she replies, only glancing away from her food to give the boy a quick smile, "breakfast is almost ready."

"It smells delicious!" The boy inhales the mouthwatering scent in the room. He was hoping his stomach wasn't going to rumble as he did so. "Need any help?"

"No, but thank you," Aki answers. It was kind of him to offer to help, he always did. Sometimes she accepted it when she was in a rush, but today she wasn't.

Tenma takes a seat, feet swinging slightly as he waits for breakfast. They're both served eggs, bacon, pieces of fruit on the side. Aki takes her seat at the table, giving a short word of thanks before looking over to Tenma, who was just eyeing the food, ready to devour it all.

"So, what are your plans for today?"

"I was going to go visit Takuto today!" Tenma chirps happily before he bites into a piece of bacon. He waits to swallow his food before speaking again (he doesn't want to be scolded or be given _that_ look by her- sometimes he just couldn't help but be a little excited for the day's adventure). "I promised I'd come over and see him. He said there was this new piece of music he wanted to try out."

"New music? My, he always seems to working on a new piece." She takes a pause, delicately cutting into her eggs. "It's not going to be another one of those lullabies, is it? Last time I had to go and pick you up. I've never seen you so knocked out before."

Tenma's cheeks flush to the memory. Shindou had wanted to practice his abilities and asked him for help. He agreed to being tested on, it's not like his music would hurt him. His music was hardly every violent (unless if he was in a sour mood, but that's different). He just wanted to play something soothing, to see if he could help others ease into sleep without a problem. And it had worked on the first try, perhaps a little too well. Tenma had slept longer than he thought, but did admit to feeling refreshed afterwards. He never forgot the string of apologies he received the day after waking up from that.

"I-It's nothing like that!" He stuffs some egg into his mouth. "I think it's regular music this time." Though, even he had to admit that Shindou's 'regular' music usually had a hint of magic involved. The air around them always felt different when he played. Sometimes, he wondered if Shindou was aware of it- he had to be.

"Alright, alright. I don't need to remind you to come home by dinner. But, if you are going to stay longer, give me call beforehand."

"I will!"

The remainder of breakfast is exchanged with thoughts about the upcoming school year. Most of it was excitement from the high schooler and curious questions from the older. There's more talk, about neighbors, about Aki's significant other who she needs to send a letter to. The conversation stops when Tenma takes a glance at the clock.

"Ah! I have to go!" He jumps up from his seat, grabbing his dishes and putting them to the sink. "Um, I can clean them when I get back."

"It's fine, don't worry about it, Tenma." She raises a hand, shooing the boy away. "Go on and enjoy your day."

He smiles at her and goes over to give her a quick hug. "Thank you, auntie." Tenma feels her pat his back and slowly loosens his grip on her. Another smile is flashed at her before saying, "bye!" and dashing out the door.

He steps out to a cobblestone path, one that leads to the sidewalk and into the village that he calls home, Primita. It's a small village, one kept away from the bigger towns and cities. It was usually made fun of and called boring for the lack of, well, everything. It was mostly homes, shops owned by the locals, lots of trees, the ocean not too far off from their current location.

Tenma didn't mind it, this was his home. This is where he grew up. For as long as he could remember, he'd been here with his auntie. He knew most of the folks here and vice versa. Maybe it was a little too small at times, but it's not like he was stuck here (thank school for getting him out of here).

He glances back to his home, a small but homely building surrounded by trees. The branches swayed in the wind and he could see Aki's cat (he was a cat today, tomorrow he'd be a dog. this creature had a tendency to switch forms every other day) trying to rest upon one. He was sleeping and as much as he'd love to wake him up and say bye to him to, he'd let him rest. "See you later, Sasuke," he whispers.

With a turn in his step, he sets off towards Shindou's home. Admittedly, it's the strangest building here, also the largest. It really did look out of place in this small village. The building was made to resemble his home in the city, but also have some authentic and old look to it. He didn't understand why it needed to look a certain way, it was really an odd decision in his eyes. But, it made finding Shindou's home that much easier (aside from it looking off it's size was also a factor in spotting it to).

"I wonder what he's going to play today?" He asks to himself, skipping along the path. He plays a game with himself, stepping on certain parts of the path all while humming a tune, one that Shindou had last played for him. He couldn't quite get it right and found he forget pieces of it, but that doesn't stop him from filling those forgotten pieces in with new beats. He's really thankful that he isn't around to hear him butcher one of his songs.

Lost in his happier thoughts, Tenma doesn't see the person walking down the path, coming towards him. And as he takes another skip, eyes look up and realization hits him, almost quite literally, that he's about to crash into someone.

"Ahh!" Tenma lets out a yell, doing his best to try and move his body out of the way. He's...unsuccessful and trying to move just seemed to make things worse. His body ends up still colliding into the stranger, now forcing them both to the ground. Tenma lets out a groan and quickly moves aside and off the other. He's already on his knees, ready to help this stranger.

"I'm sorry about that! Are you okay? I should have really watched where I was going..."

Tenma is greeted with a scowl and glaring orange eyes. He didn't expect the person to be happy, but he didn't expect the other to look so furious either. And seeing this sudden glare causes him to only stare back, trying to think of what to do or say to this...person. This person he hadn't seen before. A dark blue haired traveller? A young one, maybe around his age if he had to guess. He was wearing dark clothes and looked almost as out of place as Shindou's home.

The stranger begins to get to his feet without a word, brushing himself off. Tenma jumps to his feet, stepping in front of him.

"Um, are you okay?" He repeats.

"I'm just fine," he replies in a sarcastic, annoyed tone. "Watch where you're hopping along next time."

"Don't worry, I will! I should have before but I was just...thinking of other things." He does a quick bow of apology, hoping that he'd be forgiven in some form.

"Hmph." Is the only response he's given.

The brunette inwardly sighs, wishing the other wasn't so angry and that he could, somehow, make it up to him. He really seemed pissed about this. Maybe it was best not to push further? Maybe he wouldn't. Before he could go on, his eyes had glanced down to the other boy's hand.

"You're hurt!" Tenma points to his wrist, a scrape on it, some red already around the little scratches against his pale skin.

The stranger looks down, rolling his eyes. It stung, but not enough to make a big deal out of it. "I told you, I'm fine- hey!"

He's interrupted by a softer hand taking his and inspecting the little wound. "It doesn't look infected...I might have a bandage on me, actually! I can give you one to cover this up."

The taller male shuts his eyes, sighing out in annoyance. He's ready to snap at him before feeling heat in his free hand. Sharp eyes glance over and find a small bit of black flame forming in the palm of his hand. Tenma also notices this, which causes him to stop fussing over his hand and his bandage search, now staring at the flames.

"No way! You're a magic user!" He gasps. "I've never seen flames like that before."

The stranger lets out a growl and takes this distraction as a chance to pull his hand away from the other, stuffing it in his pocket. The flame in his other hand slowly begins to fade. "Take that as a warning sign. If you touch me again, I'll scorch you."

"I was only trying to help you..." Tenma frowns, feeling slightly intimidated now.

"Help me by leaving me alone."

"O-Okay, I will."

Tenma looks dejected as that glare is back on him. He could practically feel the anger radiating off him now. Maybe that was part of his magic to? At least there were no flames in his hand.

The stranger says nothing more and continues walking on. He really wasn't the friendly type, was he? Tenma lets out a sigh, watching him walk on for a moment before shaking his head and remembering where he was supposed to be going.

"I'm going to be really late now!" He doesn't know why he's fretting over this so much. Shindou would brush off his lateness, he was hardly every angry with him for doing so. Unless if it were for something really important (did this count as important?).

So, he darts off, again, running to the large house in the distance. And things feel a little different. Maybe he's running faster or maybe the wind is just pushing against him (was it supposed to be a windy day?). Maybe he's just panicking and noticing small things. He's just over-imagining it all, probably.

* * *

The stranger huffs, still annoyed at having to deal with that other boy. He should have dodged him, avoided that whole situation and yet, he hadn't. It was terrible having to come in contact with him and yet...maybe it wasn't.

He pauses in his steps, raising the hand that held fire not too long ago. It was so easy to do, to command at his will. It had taken him only a few years to accomplish such a thing, to control his element. And yet, he had no control over what he'd done seconds ago. That wasn't his doing. He didn't want the flame to flicker to life.

He thinks- what could have caused it? There's hardly any answers. That boy is one of the, but he brushes it off. The way he had spoke, it sounded like he had no magic.

 _I'm worrying over nothing,_ he thinks. It's best to shrug this off. He pulls his other hand out of his pocket, rubbing the injury that was left on him. He'd need to put ointment on it before it got infected. Another annoying thing to do. He sighs and decides to look at it himself.

"What?!" That surprise exclamation had escaped it, but how could he contain it after seeing that his small wound was gone? Was he imagining things? No, no. He had seen it- _felt_ it.

He turns on his feet, eyes narrowing down the path that boy had been going. Should he follow him, confront him? That boy...there was something strange about him.

* * *

a/n: Tenma calls Aki 'auntie' in the games and I thought it'd fit for this


	3. Chapter 2

Tenma steps up to Shindou's home, waiting at the door. He's ready to knock on it, signal that he's here, but is distracted by music coming from a room up on the second floor. Eyes glance up to a room, curtains shielding the person inside but not his silhouette. The teen can easily see the figure moving, playing the piano- a familiar melody coursing through the air and he swears that he might just be seeing some notes floating around inside to.

"Takuto!" He chimes as he knocks upon the other teen's door. He waits patiently, stepping back to admire this house as the music comes to a slow stop. The silhouette pauses, begins to move and leaves his sight. It's not long until he hears the door clicking, unlocking and opening to Shindou, greeting him with a gentlemanly smile.

"Tenma, you made it. A little late though," he says.

Tenma slumps over a bit, sighing. "I sorta bumped into someone on the way here. I was trying to get here on time, really!"

He lifts himself up with a serious look that almost doesn't suit him. It makes Shindou chuckle and, somehow, even that has a certain melodious ring to it. (Tenma wishes he was more well versed in musical terms like he was. Then he could compare it to a song or a note or something musical. It would have made the other proud.)

"I'll overlook your tardiness for today, but you know what you have to do in return."

"I know. It's...not anything like before, is it?" The question is asked with a hint of wariness.

"No, no," he waves a hand before stepping to the side, motioning for the other to enter his home. "It's a normal one today, I promise. Unless if you do want to see something 'cool' as you'd say?"

"Yeah!" Tenma jumps to that offer before recalling his manners. (He's thankful that Shindou doesn't give him etiquette lessons or lectures him on the way he acts. He could never be as calm and collected as the other normally was.) He clears his throat before smiling. "I mean, I'd love to!"

It makes Shindou smile, seeing such genuine excitement when it came to hearing him play, witness his abilities. It was different from the praise and curiosity of those who came for business reasons, those only interested in one or the other. He doesn't need to tell Tenma where to go and the shorter is already bouncing down the hall and up the stairs to his room, the other following shortly behind.

Shindou always had a way with music, no matter what he played; it was a gift. But, he was a shining star when it came to piano, that's when his talent could truly outshine anything else. It was something he obtained from his mother. She had a love for the same instrument and was what made her a star in the musical realm. That love and passion had rubbed off on her son and she couldn't be more excited.

While he had received his musical talents from his mother, his more magical ones came from his father. A well versed wizard, one who was considered a natural when it came to enchantments of empathy. He could easily persuade another to swing through an array of emotions, a rare ability. Although, it wasn't used too often, whatever he made others feel, he'd feel.

Their son had taken both gifts and made them his own. He had matured in the arts of music and empathy, able to combine both he could make music that affected others emotions. (There was plenty more he could do, but this is what he was known for.) Instruments he played were like a conductor, allowing him to focus and use the magic within to take life in the form of sound.

Tenma had never seen (or heard) anything like it before. And, to his knowledge, there were very few in the magical world that relied on sound as their form. It was always something more physical, something to do with elements, hardly ever something intangible like this.

Upon entering his private room, Tenma had taken to the nearby chair (which was already prepared for the guest). He lets his bag rest beside him, hands firmly resting in his lap as he watches the magical musician step towards and then sit by the piano.

"It's fine if I play what I wanted to first, right?"

"Of course! I want to hear what you've been working on. It's a real normal one, right?"

"Yes, it is. Well, it should make you feel more relaxed, but other than that," he shrugs, placing a hand on his piano, "it's just a song I wanted to write."

"Is this one for your next show- I mean, recital?"

Shindou hums in thought, looking to ivory keys before shaking his head. "Not this one. I intended it to be a birthday gift for a friend back home. I wrote it with him in mind and I think it should only be played in more private settings."

"Oh," Tenma pauses in thought, trying to recall those friends that lived in the city, someone he might know. "Umm...is it for...Ranmaru?"

"You guessed it. I know his birthday isn't for a while, but I'd rather be prepared for it." Especially since it was during the first month of school. Shindou wasn't a procrastinator at all, quite the opposite in fact. He always wanted things to be simply perfect. He intended to complete this piece as a song first then incorporate magic into it later. And it was figuring out how to do the second part that would bother him the most, trying to make the notes and other summonings dance around perfectly to his music.

Tenma smiles softly and leans back into his seat. Shindou is a really great friend, always considerate, doing anything he could for those he called friends. It made him happy to know him.

With no more words being thrown about and silence filling the air, Shindou settles himself into his seat. Brown eyes casting over the music sheet on the piano. He takes a moment to look it over before beginning to play.

It's a wonderful tune, Tenma thinks already. He can't give a proper critique of it and maybe he's just a little to biased when it comes to Shindou's music, but he's fully aware of how much effort the other teen had put into this piece. He could feel the warmth from the sound enveloping the room. There's more feeling to it, stuff he's not sure he's supposed to understand. This is for another person after all, a childhood friend that he knew.

Beautiful music is cut short as a loud screech wails outside. The pianist has to cover his ears in an attempt to shield himself when his music can't. (It really does suck being sensitive to sound sometimes.) Tenma, does the same, though isn't as affected. He's able to run over to the window, trying to find the source.

He manages to catch sight of a shadow disappearing, a person falling to the ground right outside of this home. He squints, trying to see who it is and that hair really is familiar- "It's Tsurumasa!" He instantly turns to Shindou, who had recovered from that loud blast. They nod, both knowing that they have to go.

The two dash outside, running to the fallen Hayami's side. Shindou is already down on a knee, a worried expression as he tries to help the other to his feet.

"Tsurumasa, what happened?" Tenma asks while going to his other side, taking an arm to try and help their fallen friend.

Hayami groans as he's lifted it up, swaying slightly as his feet are on the ground. "I-I was just trying to make something and then..." A sigh escapes him as he adjusts his broken, cracked glasses. He's quiet for a moment, eyes focused on the ground. "Well...things got out of hand when Kaiji got some water mixed into the potion I was working on." The water mage hadn't meant any harm. It was out of curiosity and wanting to help in this concoction.

"I probably should have tried something else, it was bound to be a failure from the start," he mumbles that out to himself, hoping the other two didn't hear that (he figures Shindou might have). He shakes his head, slightly, and figures this is no time to be mulling about his failed potion project. "Anyway, thanks to his _tampering_ , it ended up creating some sort of...water elemental? I think he was going for a siren but...I'm not really sure..."

The other two boys frown, glance to each other for a moment. They had heard the screech and it was loud, not like an actual siren, but it was easy to get the idea.

Shindou glances around, trying to find the creation. "Can you make anything to stop it?" He asks.

"Mmm...I could, but it might take a while." Hayami felt bad- guilty over his mess being released. He should have done more to contain it and should have already had another potion or item ready to stop any drastic failures. (A small part of him tries to be optimistic about this- at least it wasn't an explosion that could have hurt the two and others around their home.) "But, there's another option. You could, possibly, apply a ton of heat to get rid of it. I've seen it work on Kaiji's magic before so it's just one possibility..."

"That's better than nothing. We'll figure something out," Shindou replies. "Go back and ask Kaiji for help, if he's okay. He might know a spell or two when it comes to water." Creating and shaping water? Definitely. Stopping it and making it evaporate? Possibly. Shindou would put his trust in these two to figure something out. "For now, I'll go and attempt to stop it."

Hayami opens his mouth to protest, but he's very aware that when Shindou wears _that_ look- _that_ serious expression, there's no arguing with him. He just wishes that he could be of more help, have something on hand to give and protect him. He glances between the two and lets out another sigh.

"Be careful, Takuto..." Hayami mutters. "I'll get to you as soon as I can." He then steadies himself, turns, although a bit shaky, and runs back home.

Tenma looks to Shindou immediately once their friend is gone. He nearly mirrors the pianist's expression. "I'm coming with you."

"Tenma..." Shindou utters his name, sounding like a warning. "It's better if you don't." It's his way of saying he doesn't want him coming along and getting hurt. Tenma couldn't defend himself, not over this. And Shindou wasn't a trained fighter. He could hold his own for a while, he knew some magical offense and defense, but he'd never been in fights before (they were always lesson only practice battles, nothing on his own).

Hearing that doesn't cause his determination to waiver. "Please, I can help. I...I know I can." Normally, he'd listen. He would stay behind or even go help Hayami. He'd be able to run back and forth faster than either one. Something told him he'd be okay, even if he had no magic or mystic item to call his own.

Shindou's eyes become a glare and he's ready to tell him to stay back. But, he ends up hearing that screech again (thankfully, it's further away and doesn't hurt- just how fast is that thing moving anyway?), and his head turns to the sound.

"Alright. But if it does get to dangerous, I want you to run back and call someone else for help, okay?"

"Mhm!"

With that settled, they both begin this chase. It's easy to track down the elemental as it had left wet splotches on the ground. It didn't seem to have a certain destination in mind, though it had gotten out of the village and into the nearby woods. It's better, they figure, having that thing away from people. But, it's more difficult to track down. It's only with the help of it's occasional screeching can they find it.

And it really was as Hayami said. A water elemental with a siren touch. It was nothing but water, form moving and trying to take the shape of something- a human possibly. It was difficult to tell as it shifted around, looking more as a blob most of the time rather than anything else. It did have a 'mouth' or what they'd consider to be one. A hole that kept at the top of the creature, opening and closing (it almost looked like it was breathing and it was almost unsettling). The creature's movement comes to a still, catching sight of the two who had approached it.

"Stay back," it's an order and Shindou immediately takes a step in front of Tenma. His hand immediately goes to his side, pushing back his cardigan and pulling out a baton. It wasn't an instrument, but it could help him control the music- the sounds in the air. (It's different and more difficult to use, he'd admit. He didn't have as much control over it compared to an actual instrument, but it's the only thing at his disposal currently.)

The creature remains still before inhaling and that's when Shindou begins to move his hands. A quick spell comes to mind, one to shield them both from the sound that's about to be exhaled. An invisible barrier to cast around the humans, only being seen when the screeching is heard and is hitting against the barrier.

It takes time for the elemental to let out another screech, or so Shindou had come to pick up on. It wasn't constantly letting out yells, so there'd be time to fight back before he'd need to cast that sound barrier again.

It looks like he's conducting a performance, a musical one. His movements imitate those of a conductor leading an orchestra. Each movement is on point and precise. He needs to be when trying to cast spells, summon musical notes, lead them to wrap and bind the creature while trying to make a soothing melody.

But, it's not working.

The elemental is immune to it, easily shifting out of the notes, the sound doesn't do much either. It begins to worry Shindou, make him wonder why it's not working. It's worked hundreds of times before. (The thought of it not working on a potions created mess doesn't cross his mind.) He could feel himself beginning to loose that calm composure, lost to worried thoughts of Tenma being harmed by his inability to protect him. He won't let that happen.

But, the creature seems to be aware of his wavering concentration and takes this as a chance to pounce. It's watery form wiggles, squishes down to the ground before sending itself flying into the air. And it's ready to let out a loud screech to, targeting none other than Shindou.

Tenma had been watching from behind, he had wanted to cheer for his friend, encourage him but not break his concentration. He could see Shindou's waivering and wanted to step in to help- but what could he do? A regular person without even an ounce of magic in him, what could he do against a magical creature?

He hates the feeling of being unable to help, but when he notices the watery creature readying itself, he knows he can't just stand back any longer. Even if he can't fight it, he could protect his friend. He could take an attack, hopefully.

"Don't hurt Takuto!" Tenma shouts and begins to run forward. Something surges in his body, a feeling that he brushes aside, thinking it's only adrenaline. It's weird and makes him feel light, feathery. He's in front of Shindou in an instant, eyes focusing on the creature. A hand raises out to it, as if intending to stop it in its tracks.

And he's ready for that impact, ready to shout. And he does, but for a different reason. To his- both of their surprise, a small ball of light begins to form in Tenma's hand. It grows at a rapid speed, the ball shining brighter and brighter, growing in size as well. He tries to keep his eyes on the elemental falling towards them, but the light becomes too blinding, forces them to shut their eyes.

All they can hear is a withering scream, followed by water hitting the ground in a furious downpour.

When their eyes open, the creature is nothing but a puddle. Tenma stares down at it, shocked, confused. He pulls his hand down, staring at it next. Shindou moves to his side, staring at the remains of the elemental. He nearly expects it to bubble to life, but it remains motionless.

They remain in silence, both stunned, lost in their own thoughts, one more confused than the other. Questions begin to rise and neither really have an answer to them. Shindou is the first to speak, once his gaze meets with Tenma's.

"I didn't know you could use magic."

"I...I didn't know I could either."


	4. Chapter 3

a/n: I've been wanting to update this for a while and I'm glad to finally find the time (and motivation) to do so! Sorry for the wait!

* * *

He simply could not get that boy out of his thoughts. He wanted to just forget him and move on, but it was impossible to do so. No one was capable of calling out another's abilities (as far as he was aware) and healing them at the same time.

As the black flame wielder continued to walk throughout this small village, he thought about trailing that boy he ran into. His gaze had followed the other for a while, seeing him run to some out of place building. It wouldn't be that hard to find him, especially in a small place like this. Even now with a greater distance, there were only so many people living here. It was easier to find people in these close-knit communities compared to the city.

His steps finally come to a slow, then a stop. He thinks back to what he's supposed to be doing and what he's supposed to be on the look out for. If there were anything strange, any signs that would signal what he was looking for, he'd have to tell _him_.

Was this information good enough? It was only small and he was basing this all off little observations. But _he_ would know if the information was worthwhile. _He_ would know if this was anything important or not.

The boy takes in a breath and lets it out shortly after. He decides to call, hoping this wouldn't be a waste of time.

A hand reaches into his pocket and pulls out a slim red phone. A string of numbers are pressed and then he holds the phone to his ear, waiting for the other line to pick up. He moves to lean against a nearby wall, making sure to stay in the shadows the building cast.

"Name." The ringing had stopped suddenly, only to be interrupted with that simple command from a gruff voice.

"Kyousuke Tsurugi."

"State your purpose for calling."

"I believe that I may have some information on the wanted…mystic."

The line goes silent and Tsurugi wonders if they'd think he was joking. He's relieved to hear another response.

"Hold for one second."

"Of course."

Sharp eyes glance upward to the sky as he waits, thoughts of the boy seemed to have faded for the time being. He thinks back to home for a moment. Thinks about who is there and how he should return soon. He would, he had already decided after this to make a quick stop home.

"What information do you have, Kyousuke?"

A different voice snaps him out from his thoughts. This one he knew, this one was _his_.

"I ran into this boy earlier today and…"

Tsurugi repeats the earlier event to him. How he swears he had done nothing and that boy had been the cause for such strange developments. He recalls his appearance and repeats it to him as well, saying anything that might prove helpful. _He_ would know if it was or not. _He_ had all the information on this mystic anyway, even if there was hardly anything left on it.

"Thank you for calling me to inform me of your findings. We're currently searching through our database to find anyone with such abilities, but those are rare ones to find together. I don't want to rush into this and assume he is the one. You're ordered to keep an eye on him, keep us informed with any abnormalities which he may emit. Understood?"

"I understand, Holy Emperor."

* * *

"I've never seen that type of magic before! You must have used something akin to teleportation? But that's more of a wind elemental thing…You used light- perhaps fire?" Shindou went on, trying to put two and two together. He'd keep his thoughts to himself and figure things out on his own, but this was a problem that had involved his friend.

His friend who was currently just as perplexed, if not more, than he was. Tenma couldn't use magic, that was a fact. He had tried to use it, ever since he was a kid. He dreamed of being able to do something cool, he wanted to be like the others who could simply call upon winds, water, anything! Yet, he wasn't able to.

There were always the option to wield those magic enhancing tools, little things that granted non magic users some type of magic. As tempting as those were, he preferred to do it on his own. And now, it seemed like he really could.

Blue eyes stare down into the palm of his hand, the one that had been used to blind and melt that creature away. He could recall the feeling of warmth bubbling in his hand, a floaty sensation following. Were they connected or was he imagining things? Perhaps this was something most magic beginners felt? Oh, how he wished he knew!

"Tenma?"

"Huh? Yeah?"

Tenma turns to face Shindou, who still looked concerned over this whole matter. He was hoping this wasn't stressing him out too much.

"We should go and tell Tsurumasa about…the elemental. At least so he doesn't have to worry about making something to stop it now."

"Oh! Yes, you're right! We should. Should we tell him that…" _That I was the one to defeat it._ Tenma had trouble believing that even now.

"I don't want to steal the credit…but we can say that it simply dried up?" Shindou suggested. He wasn't too fond of lying (neither was Tenma), but with this mystery up in the air, he'd make an exception. "It evaporated as we tried to fight it off."

"I think that sounds good. We should tell him and then head back to see my auntie. I…I need to tell her about this."

The boy was admittedly a little worried as to how she would react. This was all so sudden, a normal kid now being able to wield magic. It almost sounded like one of the fairy tales he used to read when he was younger.

He shakes off any distraught feelings- Aki would love him no matter what, he was sure of it. Any shard of doubt is casted off his face and he looks to Shindou. Without another moment to lose, they begin to head their way back to the village.

They meet Hayami on the way back and find out they're a little too late. He's already made a potion to counter the elemental. The glasses wearing boy sighs, but Shindou informs him to keep it nearby and on him in case if this accident happens again. Once Hayami departs from them, with a thank you for dealing with the elemental, the two begin to treck back to Tenma's home.

Outside of the house is Sasuke, lounging off to the side, only casting a glance at the two approaching. He doesn't even let out a sound, only moves to let them know he's aware of their presence.

Tenma smiles and chuckles softly at the creature. It was nice seeing him being normal. Then, his head turns to the door. He's nervous again. She'll probably think something is wrong for coming home this early. Was there anything really? It didn't seem so…bad.

Hearing someone knock against the door startles him and he realizes Shindou had done it for him. The pianist glances over to him for a moment, giving him a trying, reassuring look before stepping back.

"Coming!" Aki shouts from beyond the door. In a few seconds, they're greeted with a familiar smiling face. "Oh, it's you two. I thought you'd be out longer. Did you want to come over here instead?" The woman asks before noticing the lack of enthusiasm on either boy's face. And it doesn't help that something just feels off about their silence. "Are you boys alright?"

"We're fine. Just…something happened," Shindou responds. "We're really okay, but we- Tenma has something he needs to tell you."

Aki looks between the two, worried that they might have both gotten into trouble- or worse! "Well, come inside first. It's better to talk indoors."

She ushers the boys in, Shindou following behind Tenma. The three of them go to the living room, the boys take a seat on the wider couch while Aki takes the smaller one. She wants to ask what happened, but decides to wait for Tenma to say it first.

"Um," Tenma gulps, eyes focusing on the ground. "Auntie…I-I…" He takes in a breath, looks up directly at her. "I used magic today."

"You…You used magic?"

"Y-Yes. I know it sounds strange, but I don't know how it happened! I just- I just had to do something and I used it!"

"He used magic to save me," Shindou intervenes, hoping to help explain. "He protected me form a water elemental that was on the loose. We didn't know what to do afterwards, but thought that you should know."

Aki's eyes had gone wide and she hadn't realized she was holding her breath. Only after it was all over did she exhale. She's quiet, a hand placed over her chest as she turns away from the two. Rather than speaking, she gets to her feet and walks over to her bookshelf. Fingers trail over the spines of books, landing upon one. She pulls it out, flips to a page and pulls out an envelope before slipping it back into place.

"You remember Mamoru, don't you, Tenma?" She finally speaks.

"Of course I do! He saved me when I was younger and he's the coolest!" He said, cheering up for a moment. The memories he had with Endou were special, even those stories he'd only heard about the older male finding him as a baby and taking him in were to. He had cherished every moment with that man, until he had to leave. "But what does he have to do with this?"

"Well," she turns on her heel, walking over to the boys and handing the envelope to Tenma. "He told me that if you ever started to use magic, I'd have to give this to you."

"What is it…?" Tenma asks, staring at the note curiously.

"He told me that there would be directions to find him, a path to follow. He said only you would be able to see it." She pauses, holding her hands before her. "He never told me anything about it, about you being able to use magic. That's the only time he ever mentioned it. And I know he had his reasons for not telling me, I never pressed for an answer. I wish I did though, so I could tell you more and help you with your abilities. But he said the less I knew, the better."

"Auntie…"

"You're very special, Tenma." She smiles at him, reaching a hand out to pat the boy's head. "I've always known you were and so did he. I'm sorry I don't know anything more on this. I was hoping this day would never come- I didn't know what to expect when it would. I just want you to be safe."

Tenma gets to his feet, instantly going and wrapping his arms around the older woman. She embraces him tightly, as a mother would to her child.

"I'm just glad you're not mad at me for this," he mumbles out as he lets go of her.

"Mad at you? I wouldn't be angry with you.I'm just surprised. And glad you used your magic to save your friend." She makes a smile to Shindou, who had been taking this all in. "Anyway. You should really go and find Mamoru. He'll be able to give you answers. Though, I suggest leaving tomorrow morning if you want to go."

Tenma glanced down to the letter in his hand, pulling it up to his chest. He had yet to open it, not wanting to right now. It held answers- a path to them. He wanted to know why he could use magic, why this was hidden from him for so long. And he was given a chance to see Endou again.

"I'll go tomorrow."

"And I'll go with you, Tenma."

"Huh?" With a surprise look, he turns to Shindou.

"You can't go alone to find Mamoru, can you? You have the letter, but the way to him might be dangerous and you have no control over your abilities." The pianist gets to his feet, taking a step to him. "I apologize if it seems like I'm forcing myself to go with you, but as your friend, I don't want you to go alone. I can help you."

"I…"

"I think he should go with you," Aki says. "He'll look after you and you're safer in a pair."

"I don't want you to get hurt, Takuto, but…okay." Tenma says with a nod. "We'll leave tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

~…~

When night had fallen, Tenma had plopped down into bed. He had his bag already filled with supplies, there were still some things needed but he'd wait for the morning to take put them away (such as food). He had double checked many times to see if he had forgotten anything. The only thing he could think of was that envelope.

The envelope that was currently on his bed with him. The one that was for him, from Endou. The boy sat up in bed, eyes examining the rectangular shape lying there. A hand began to reach out, take it and pull it towards him. He wanted to know what was inside, what was only meant for him. His mind was beginning to fill with questions and maybe this letter would give him an answer.

So, he begins to tear at the sealed envelope, opening it up to pull out a parchment…only to find it covered in chicken scratch. Illegible ink doused across the page, making it almost look like a baby's attempt at drawing.

"Eh? How am I supposed to read this…" Tenma pouts as his eyes begin to scan the paper, looking for something, anything in this scribble mess.

He tries squinting, maybe he'd find something if he looked in-between the ink? Nope. Nothing. He keeps trying before he gives up and sets the paper on his bed, leaving a hand pressed over it. There had to be a way to decipher it, but how? Was there supposed to be a clue? Had he said anything before he left?

He closes his eyes as his mind goes back, memories resurface to when he was a younger boy. Endou is there, taller than he is, wearing that orange headband and that infectious smile of his. He remembers playing with him, how Endou would show off his defensive magic. He was able to summon to- but never did in front of the boy, saying he didn't want to frighten him.

The memories continue and they go to the last time he'd seen Endou. He remembers trying not to cry, how the older man had pat his head and told him to stay strong.

 _"We'll see each other again, one day. I promise."_

He'd never forget those words. And soon, he hoped, they'd be coming true.

When he opened his eyes, he'd find his palm glowing once more, shining upon the paper. He nearly jumps in surprise, almost tears his hand right off the parchment. But he lets it rest there until the light fades. Once it's gone, he removes his hand.

The scribbles had begun to turn into something- a map? He couldn't quite tell as it hadn't stopped moving. There was a small formation of text in the corner reading-

"Latens Woods?"

The name was…familiar but not familiar enough for him to recall it off the top of his head. Shindou would know about it, he thinks. It might have come up in class or maybe it was nearby. He hoped it was the later.

Finally, the ink stops moving on the paper, a map formed. Underneath the text was a small image of a home, a red circle around it.

And that is where they'll find Endou.


End file.
